On Saturday, July 25,
2015, at 2 p.m., the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests will ordain
Barbara Billey a priest, barbbilley56@gmail.com (519)735-3943. The
ordaining bishop will be Bridget Mary Meehan.
The ceremony will be held in the Chapel of Cardinal Smart Retirement
Living, 3140 Peter St., Windsor, ON (519-254-1112). Parking at St. Michael’s
School. A dinner will follow at 6:30 pm,
140 Bridge Ave., Penthouse (Buzz #6). Street parking only. All are welcome.

Barbara is a
registered psychotherapist and art therapist who has a private practice working
with children, youth and adults. She
enjoys using the creative arts as part of her healing ministry in order
to facilitate encounters with the Sacred. Barbara holds graduate degrees
in education and counseling/art therapy as well as a Doctor of Ministry. “We,
God’s beloveds, the sacraments, and the Church cannot be truly whole without
women at all levels of ministry, including priesthood. While I’ve had many challenges in this sacred
calling, deep within is a steadfastness that sustains my going forward. I’m
gripped by this grace.”

July 25th
is also the 10th anniversary of Canada’s first woman priest, Michele
Birch-Conery, liberata999@gmail.com (519) 962-7016 who
was ordained on the St. Lawrence River in 2005.
A retired professor of English Literature and Women's Studies with a
focus on Women and Religion, she lived and ministered on Vancouver Island, British Colombia with
outreach to the GLBTQ Dignity Vancouver community. In 2013, she moved to
Windsor where she collaborates with Barbara and their Heart of Compassion Faith
Communities in Ontario and Michigan.

As urban priests and
compassion activists, Michele and Barbara presented the Charter for
Compassion for adoption by the City of Windsor and are currently supporting the
empowerment of young women of various faith traditions through their
Wisdom Women Circles of Compassion initiative. In Detroit, Michigan and
area, they also partner with Deacon Jeni Marcus in activism with GLBTQ
communities and an ecumenical Call to Action community.

Pope
Francis in his Encyclical on Mother Earth, Laudato Si, writes, “God’s love is
the fundamental moving force in all created things (77). No system can completely suppress our
openness to what is good, true and beautiful, or our God-given ability to
respond to [God’s] grace at work deep in our hearts.”

Women
priests are responding to the Spirit’s call to serve in a renewed priesthood
within a circle of equals. In our prophetic movement of justice-making,
spiritually transforming and righting relationships, we are mystically healing
the Earth, the circle of life, and the wounds of sexism. As images of the
Divine in partnership with all of creation, our lives call out for the full
equality of women.

We ask
Francis to make the connection between the disempowerment and domination of
women in church and society and the abuse of women and creation. In
response to the growing interest of women to be ordained, ARCWP will ordain
three bishops in Philadelphia, USA on September 24th, including
one from South America.

)"...But the feminization of poverty (an increase in the levels of poverty among women or female-headed households relative to the levels of men or male-headed households) increased from 109 percent in 1994 to almost 117 percent in 2013,according to the United Nations.

Women’s labor participation in the region remains more than a quarter less than that of men, at 52.9 percent, compared with 79.6 percent, as recorded in 2010 statistics. And while the wage gap has shrunk, women still earn a staggering 68 percent less than their male colleagues. South American women are also twice as likely as men to be unpaid workers...

Of the little research that exists, the statistics on violence against women in Latin America are gruesome. A recent U.N. report published in the Economist found that a woman is assaulted every 15 seconds in São Paulo, Brazil’s largest city. It states that in Colombia, “attacks in which acid is thrown at women’s faces, disfiguring them, nearly quadrupled between 2011 and 2012.” Moreover, of the 25 countries in the world that are high or very high in the U.N.’s ranking for femicides (killings of women that seem to be related to their sex), more than half are in the region.

Research shows that when women have access to contraception and are educated to make responsible choices, their income, employment and education levels rise, as do their children’s. As women’s choices expand, they have fewer unassisted labors and backstreet abortions, meaning maternal mortality is reduced, and, depending on the type of contraception used, life-limiting sexually transmitted diseases are contained.

But because the Vatican considers women second-class citizens, it goes without saying that the pope will not mention abortion or contraception during his South American tour.

Figures show that of the 4.4 million abortions performed in Latin America in 2008, 95 percent were unsafe, and about 1 million women are hospitalized annually for treatment of complications from such procedures. In this context, it should be noted that the pope has described the abortion-rights movement as a “culture of death” and has opposed Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner’s efforts to distribute free contraceptives.

..." as Jemima Thackray writes in The Telegraph, “the Catholic Church’s growth is coming from non-European countries where the so-called ‘liberal’ issues of sexual equality are considered less important.”As much as he has advocated “rethinking the outdated criteria which continue to rule the world,” Francis has repeatedly embraced the traditional Catholic view that a woman’s role is in the home. Extolling the role of women specifically as mothers by declaring “the presence of women in a domestic setting” as crucial to “the very transmission of the faith,” Francis has said, “I think, for example, of the special concern which women show to others, which finds a particular, even if not exclusive, expression in motherhood.” Although women may have lives outside the home, Francis has urged us not to “forget the irreplaceable role of the woman in a family.”

Given the pope’s outspoken views, we’ve been hoping he’d get around to addressing gender inequality eventually. But lest we forget, the Vatican is—and always will be—a patriarchal institution based on sexual hierarchy. Asked on two occasions about the possibility of admitting women to the ranks of the clergy, Francis has given a firm no. “That door,” he said in 2013, “is closed.” As Thackray explains, “this is not about having a Western liberal agenda for equality for its own sake, but about acknowledging that in allowing women into positions of influence in the church, this would raise their general status, reducing their vulnerability and poverty. Perhaps,” she continues, “it would also help shake up some of the closed male-dominated systems which have caused some of the other worst abuses by the Catholic Church.”

It would be no violation of doctrine to recognize women as equally and intrinsically valuable, regardless of their familial role or fertility. Until the pope’s vision of equality includes this, it’s incomplete."

The story “Who You are Makes a Difference” by Helice Bridges, comes
from the 1st book in the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” series.

When I attended my first seminary, one of our fellow classmates gave
each of us a bookmark that said, “Who You are Makes a Difference, Thanks for Making
a Difference in My Life.” I was touched by this act of kindness.

I had a copy of the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” book at home and went
back to re-visit the story:

A teacher in a NY school wanted to tell the students in her class how
they the difference they made in her life and in the lives of each other. She
called each student to the front of the class and presented each one with a
ribbon that said, “Who You Are Makes a Difference.”

The teacher gave her students a challenge and extra ribbons. She
encouraged them to go out into the community and pass on a ribbon; thanking each
person for making a difference in her/his life. The teacher wanted feedback on how
lives were impacted by this “pay it forward” method.

The
students passed out the ribbons and a miracle happened.

A
junior executive passed on one of the ribbons to his boss explaining the school
project and how much he appreciated him. The boss was a grouch.

The
executive told his boss he was a creative genius and then gave his boss an
extra ribbon; asking him to pass it on.

When
the boss got home that night, he sat his 14 year old son down and said, “The
most amazing thing happened to me today” and he began to relay the story. He
told his son, “As I was driving home, I was thinking about whom I wanted to
give this ribbon to and I want to honor you.” The man went on to explain, “My
days are hectic and when I come home I don’t pay a lot of attention to you.
Sometimes I scream at you to get your homework done. You’re a great kid and I
love you.”

The
son cried and replied, “I was planning on committing suicide tomorrow, Dad,
because I didn’t think you loved me. Now I don’t need to.” What a great story
and its true!

Back in 2005, I handed out cards to all the members of our community
that said, “Who You Are Makes a Difference, Thanks for Making a Difference in My
Life.” I wanted to thank our church members for making difference and here’s
why:

Our
church was invited to participate in a local fundraising project for the
holiday.

We
set up a booth as vendors, selling various food items to raise money for our
outreach ministry of “Helping One Family at a Time.” Individuals from the
community were very generous.

God
carefully choreographed the entire disbursement plan.

A
few weeks after our venture, a woman I knew lost her husband in a tragic
accident. There was no life insurance and she had no money. As a couple, they
lived below the poverty line with no resources for funeral costs.

I
immediately asked for assistance from our community on her behalf and the
response was, “Yes, do it.” I was so proud to be part of this fine group and to
be their pastor.

Ten
years later, these fine people are still transforming lives.

Remember,
“Who You are Makes a Difference and Thank you, for Making a Difference in My
Life.” Amen!

Thank you for standing beside us as you support
our ministries through sharing in our Eucharistic communities, your enthusiasm,
prayers and donations during this past fruitful year. Together, we have been called to serve and
work for justice and equality in our communities and in the world. The Spirit
has been calling us at an increased rate and we are answering the call for
women’s involvement in our church at all levels.

Yearly, we come to you, dear friends, family,
communities, and supporters to ask for your financial help. However, we have an urgent and
immediate need. In September we will
be ordaining three new ARCWP Bishops – two additional Bishops in North America
and one Bishop in South America. The
ordination will be held in Philadelphia the week that Pope Francis will be
there.

We
are requesting your support for the following immediate needs:

·Travel expenses to include airfare, food
and lodging in Philadelphia

·Media/advertising/brochures

·Website maintenance and update

For
example:

·Your donation of $1,000.00 will pay for
an airline ticket from Columbia, South America, to Philadelphia.

·Your donation of $500.00 will provide
for lodging expenses.

·Your donation of $500.00 will assist
with advertising expenses.

·Your donation of $250.00 will assist
with printing expenses.

·Your donation of $100.00 or $50.00 will
help defray additional ordination expenses.

Any
gift, no matter the amount, is timely and makes you
part of our movement for justice and equality in our Church. Please give, as you are able.

It was no surprise that Cardinal
O’Malley of Boston and Archbishop Joseph E.
Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, President of the
National Conference of Roman Catholic Bishops, roundly criticized the Supreme
Court’s ruling in Obergefell v Hodges. That case held that legal
prohibitions against same sex marriage were unconstitutional as violations of
Fundamental Liberties under the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses of the
Fourteenth Amendment to the US Constitution.

Quoting Archbishop Kurtz from the NCCB Press release:

“The nature of the human person and marriage remains
unchanged and unchangeable. Just as Roe v. Wade did not settle the
question of abortion over forty years ago, Obergefell v. Hodges does not
settle the question of marriage today. Neither decision is rooted in the truth,
and as a result, both will eventually fail. Today the Court is wrong again. It
is profoundly immoral and unjust for the government to declare that two people
of the same sex can constitute a marriage.

The unique meaning of
marriage as the union of one man and one woman is inscribed in our bodies as
male and female. The protection of this meaning is a critical dimension of the
“integral ecology” that Pope Francis has called us to promote. Mandating
marriage redefinition across the country is a tragic error that harms the common
good and most vulnerable among us, especially children. The law has a duty to
support every child’s basic right to be raised, where possible, by his or her
married mother and father in a stable home.

Jesus Christ, with great
love, taught unambiguously that from the beginning marriage is the lifelong
union of one man and one woman. As Catholic bishops, we follow our Lord and will
continue to teach and to act according to this truth.”

Cardinal O’Malley opined:

“The institution of marriage understood in its human,
moral and legal dimensions is a fundamental building block of any society,” “The
protection of marriage and families is a shared responsibility for all of
us.”

As the above statements reflect the Roman Catholic
Church, as well as other faith systems still act, operate, think and function as
if they remain in the Dark Ages They erroneously maintain that they are speaking
for a static God based on ancient pre-scientific stories and texts they view and
believe as “God Speak” We all know that God does not write, speak or use human
language and most certainly did not write our sacred texts giving rise to the
teachings of our faith systems. For if God did, we would not be having these
queries, discussions and disputes. The texts would be indelibly fixed and clad
in gold! These collective works of pre-scientific wisdom and so called truths
are human inventions, albeit divinely inspired .They were written down by human
imperfect agencies subject to a limited knowledge of the cosmos, and affected by
their own biases, prejudices and cultural realities which at the time were
fundamentally misogynistic and patriarchal. Just as God is not static, nor is
human evolution and humanity’s accretion of scientific knowledge and
understanding of the universe In that light, we all know that the so called
“ancient truths” espoused and promulgated by the Church like the earth being
flat or the center of the universe ,slavery
as an accepted practice, or the Aristotelian concept that women are
under developed and unevolved half men, and are therefore ,subservient to men
are examples of unenlightened pre-scientific thinking. More germane to the
subject of marriage, it too, has evolved over millennia from the ancient
biblical accepted cultural practice of polygamy to its present general
understanding and form, as was discussed at the beginning of the majority
opinion in Obergefell..

The Roman Catholic Church Hierarchy’s reliance on
biblical texts establishing “the truth “of God’s will that marriage is solely
between a man and a woman with the primary aim of human reproduction is further
weakened by their version of truth being viewed and interpreted with a lens by a
select cadre of old celibate men” who received their filtered canon from the
misogynistic, patriarchal “Church Fathers” in 325 Nicea. (Side Bar: The Jesus
Seminar that studied the scriptural texts and attempted to filter out the actual
sayings, teachings and miracles of the historical Jesus could not attribute the
aforementioned teaching to the historical Jesus .It, therefore is a product of
the early Church.) To make matters worse
the hierarchy’s vision is clouded by their understanding of “Natural Law” handed down from such Dark
Ages and medieval misogynistic, patriarchal “Church Fathers” like, Augustine and
Aquinas.” who were obviously clueless as to current scientific concepts and
thinking in such disciplines as archeology, paleontology, genetics, anatomy,
physiology psychiatry, endocrinology, embryology, sexual orientation and gender
identity .Those sciences now view that being Homosexual. Transgender, Bisexual,
Intersex and Gender Queer are immutable characteristics that a person is born
with and a not a matter of an intrinsically evil choice brought on by mental
illness. What is equally troublesome many of these same Church leaders are in no
position to judge and pontificate from a moral high ground given their actual
involvement as perpetrators, or in the cover up of clerical and religious
pedophiles.

There is also the theological problem that if you limit
the interpretation of God’s will to a select group of men in the Vatican you are
also suppressing the Holy Spirit who speaks and works through All of God’s holy
people i.e. Sensus Fidei or Fidelium Incorporating that concept in conjunction
with current scientific thinking and opinion polls
on issues involving human reproduction, artificial contraception, human
sexuality and gender identity, I submit that the Church would be taking a more
favorable pastoral and dogmatic position on same sex marriage. At this point,
the church hierarchy will argue “Relativism” but from what perspective? The
tribal necessity of ancient Israel to promulgate the species for its survival
certainly, not a concern today in light of global overpopulation. Nor is the
medieval thought of “natural law” in light of current scientific advancements
and thinking on the causes of homosexuality, gender dysphoria, intersexuality or
other impairments to human sexual development .In essence this is not
“relativism” but a product of a humanity’s accretion of knowledge and its
evolution.

Some troublesome and illogical contradictions exists when
the Church posits view that a marriage is solely between a man and woman with
its primary purpose of bringing children into the world. That position is
mitigated and falls short when it knowingly blesses and sanctions marriages
between infertile couples because of the age or physical impairments of the
couples involved. The church’s bases its acceptance of such unions on a pastoral
biblical Genesis rational: “it is not good that man should be alone!” …”Well, the same argument holds true for
people of the same sex who are in love and wish to be together for a lifetime.
Love is love and does not discriminate by sex or gender because it is the
essence of God and God does not discriminate!

Associated with the Church’s position on marriage focusing
on procreation and the fostering,
nurturing and protection of children it contradicts itself by willingly ignoring
loving same sex couples who would love
to have children of their own or gladly adopt if given the opportunity Yet,
despite there being many orphaned , abandoned and homeless children in the world
needing loving parents to love ,support and provide them with a home many of the
Church sponsored adoption agencies refuse to place them with same sex couples.

Finally,despite
their arguments and protestations to the contrary, the Roman Catholic Church and
other backward faith systems continue to adopt, maintain, teach and practice
their pre-scientific negative biblical and medieval views on women and
homosexuals. Those backward twisted preachings and teachings gives license too
many ignorant people of faith to perform acts of physical and emotional violence
against members of LGBTIQ community and
women. What is most painful and disgraceful is when parents of LGBTIQ
children “kick them out” of their homes and put them in the street , or drive
them to suicide because of their gender identity or sexual orientation. The
parents perceive their child as being
evil or sinful because that is what they were taught to believe by some half-
witted priest or minister pontificating from some pulpit or ambo spewing
half-truths or lies based on their view of scripture.. That was the case in the
recent suicide death of Lelah Alcorn of Ohio in December 2014.becuase her faith
based transphobic parents couldn’t deal with the reality that their child was
transgender and in their mind’s destined to hell.!.

I
maintain that the fate of women and people in the LGBTIQ community are linked by the culture, society
and its institutions including the Roman Catholic Church., because they view
gays as having feminine affectations.
Consequently, LGBTIQ people are treated like women and considered lesser than
men .i.e. second class citizens and in the case of Transgender people, third
class citizens. .Hypothetically speaking, I suspect when the Church begins to
treat women on an equal footing with men by elevating them .in leadership roles
or in recognizing their Divine call to
Holy Orders and the Episcopate the
intertwined status of women and homosexuals would be elevated not only in the
Church but the culture and society at large., I posit that it would be a sign to the rest of the world that women and
LGBTI people are scripturally equal to men in source divinity which would be
consistent with the Vatican II Documents. Because we are all equal children in
the eyes of our Creator, women and LGBTI people can no longer be morally,
culturally, and legally be viewed as subservient to men, nor are they property ,or lesser human beings.. In essence,
women and LGBTIQ people are to be treated with dignity and respect ,have equal
employment rights, and be free of practices and laws that are misogynistic
,patriarchal, homophobic, transphobic, bigoted , discriminatory
oppressive. and result in all forms of emotional and physical violence.
Behavior, actions or laws falling short of those prohibitions would be viewed as
crimes against humanity .It is my belief that if the Roman Catholic Church took
a progressive evolutionary position within its own faith system it would be a
positive prophetic sign to the rest of the world .It would then
challenge backward cultures, secular and religious institutions
and governments to improve the lives of women and members of the LGBTIQ community. I maintain that it would reduce the
number of poverty stricken .and homeless people.in the world. ,as well as
decrease the physical and emotional violence to women ,children and LGBTIQ people, At the minimum it would invite serious
global discourse of the scourge of gender and LGBTIQ inequality and their connection to poverty, misogyny, patriarchal
oppression, homophobia, transphobia, discrimination and violence, and
overtime be a segue for positive social
change and justice.

In
conclusion, in light of current evolutionary Spirit driven Theology, Morality
and Scientific thinking the Church has no rational basis to object to same sex
marriages and adoption. because the primary Source of those marriages is Love
and that is the essence of God.

Mary Weber and Annie Watson after celebrating mass at St. Mary of Magdala inclusive community in Indianapolis, Indiana on Sunday, July 5.

Homily:

Annie
Watson, ARCWP

An
elderly man thinking his wife was losing her hearing went about 20’ behind her
and asked “Can you hear me sweetheart?” No reply. Moved to 10’ and inquired
again. No reply. 5’ and not a word. A few inches behind her ear, he asked “Can
you hear me now honey?” His wife said, “For the fourth time, yes!”

This
little joke makes me wonder, “Who is it that’s not listening?” Most people tend to think that they themselves are
the ones who are listening. Most of
us see ourselves as attentive, ears to the ground, attuned people. It’s all
those other people out there who
aren’t listening to us! If they would
only listen they would see things our way and everything would be great!

I’m
talking about evangelism.
“Evangelism” is an interesting word. It contains the word “angel,” a word that
means “messenger.” So to practice evangelism is to be a messenger of good news.
We have some good news to share, do we not? All we need are people who will
hear what we have to say.

This
is what is happening in Mark 6. Jesus had some good news to share with his
hometown people, and then he sends his disciples out, two by two, to share (and
practice) some good news. That’s great! If we have something worth sharing with
others, we should.

My
only criticism of this is the assumption that all the sharing should come from
one direction. The people should listen to Jesus and his disciples. Nothing is
mentioned about Jesus and his disciples hearing what the people have to say.

The
story is familiar: Jesus goes to his hometown of Nazareth, he gives a good
sermon, the people are “astounded,” but then they begin to question how someone
they have known their whole lives, who comes from a family they have known
forever, could actually have something meaningful to say to them. It all seems
so condescending. After they think about it for a moment, the crowd begins to
“take offense” at him.

At
this point Jesus utters one of his most famous quotes, “Prophets are not
without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their
own house (where they were also refusing to hear him).” This is a universal
truth. I am under no illusion that if I went back to Danville, Kentucky and
started sharing homilies things would go well for me.

I
would not be honored as a prophet in my
hometown. They would treat me like a bad cold. They know me too well, or at least they think they
do, and so there is no way their pride would allow me—of all people—to share
the good news with them, not without close scrutiny and criticism.

After
things didn’t work out so well in his hometown, Jesus decides to send out his
followers, two by two, on an evangelistic mission, sharing the good news of the
kin-dom of God, delivering people from “unclean spirits” and healing the sick.
Again, the assumption is that the people should listen to his disciples, and
not the other way around.

Jesus
says, “If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on
your feet as a testimony against them.” I get that. After all, Jesus was sending
his disciples out to the surrounding villages with a clear cut message. If and
when we have something to share that we sincerely believe everyone should hear,
we become rather enthusiastic about it.

These
days the easiest way to get one’s message out there is through social media. It
has become a forum for people who feel like they have something important to
say. It probably makes us feel more important than we really are. If more than
a dozen or so people hit “like” on something we write we fool ourselves into
thinking that we have really contributed something awesome to the world.

In
some ways, the readings this week feed into our haughty attitudes, our feelings
of superiority, and our false assumptions that people should just listen to us
(and not the other way around). The story in Mark’s gospel feeds into our
narcissistic belief that people should stop everything they are doing and hear
what we have to say.

If
they don’t we should just shake the dust off our feet (although I have to
admit, it is unlikely that I would go share the good news of Jesus Christ with
someone who lives on a dirt road. That’s just asking for trouble!).

Few
of us consider ourselves prophets, but the reading from the book of Ezekiel
also feeds into our sense of self-importance. According to Ezekiel, God spoke
to him and sent him to the people of Israel, “to a nation of rebels” (which
does not mean they were Confederate
flag-waving Southerners, by the way, but they were rebellious). God tells
Ezekiel these rebellious Israelites were “impudent and stubborn.” Because of
that, they are unlikely to accept what Ezekiel has to say to them.

God
says to Ezekiel, “Whether they hear or refuse
to hear (for they are a rebellious house), they shall know that there has
been a prophet among them.” God then tells Ezekiel not to be afraid of them no
matter what they say or how menacing they look.

So
here’s our problem, and here’s how I think these stories need to be heard in a
different light, or at least with a caveat in mind: What if we are the ones who are refusing to
listen? What if we are the ones with
the menacing look?

Maybe
today is as good a time as any to consider that we need to put our ears to the ground and that
listening to other voices wouldn’t be such a bad thing. Like no other time in
history there are plenty of opportunities to hear what others have to say.

We
are bombarded with new information and messages every day. Some of it is
actually good news, if not prophetic. We often hear very prophetic stuff outside the church. Yesterday, on
Independence Day, we were reminded of “liberty and justice for all,” and
hopefully we heard those words with fresh ears in the aftermath of what
happened in South Carolina, and in light of the Supreme Court’s decision about
marriage equality.

So
yes, the church is potentially a wonderful herald of good news, and yet our
voice isn’t the only voice out there. Even as we feel we are not being heard,
we need to remember that there are many people today in many parts of the world
who feel they are never heard: the
voices of historically marginalized people, the voices of children, the
elderly, the poor, the disabled, etc.

Evangelism
should not just be a one-way street; it should be a two-way street. Before we
stop to shake the dust off of our feet because someone refuses to hear what we
have to say, let’s try hearing what they have to say first.

According to Epiphanius of Salamis ( d. 403), who condemned them, the Kollyridians were a group of women priests "who worshipped the Virgin Mary and allowed women to serve as priests." Sounds like a rather interesting group of women priests who really irritated the hierarchy sort of like some of us today!I can just hear some prelate muttering under his breath, "holy Mary Mother of God, give me patience! What will they come up with next?"I see Mary, Mother of Jesus, as my Sister, a prophetic companion on our journey to the full equality of women in the church! Many priests in the institutional church affirm Mary as priest, because she is the first who could say "this is my body, this is my blood." In my books on feminine images of God, I reflect on Mary as a visible symbol of a powerful image of the Feminine Presence of God in our midst. (Delighting in the Feminine Divine and Heart Talks with Mother God.)For millions of Catholics throughout the ages, Mary has filled the need for the nurturing experience of a mothering God. Throughout medieval times God appeared as harsh judge, Mary as compassionate mother. So , Catholics sought refuges for the absence of a maternal God in the arms of Mother Mary. Now, in our times, we are reclaiming her as our sister and friend, walking with us, guiding us on the journey to living and loving in the heart of our God. Catholics have once again claimed Mary as Jewish mother who is truly our sister. Read Elizabeth Johnson's book, Always Our Sister.)How about you? How do you see Mary, and does she have a role in your life? Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP, www.arcwp.org

"Conversion is essential, as the pope indicates, but it
cannot be spiritual conversion alone. Rather, conversion must take place on
every level of ecclesial life – spiritual, theological, structural,
organizational, interreligious – until the world begins to feel the spiritual
impulse of love at the heart of all life.Laudato Si’ opens the doors to a new world by challenging a selfish
world of disconnectedness and calling all people to a new world of
interrelatedness. But the Church must model the very principles it promotes:
mutual relatedness, inclusivity, interdependence, dignity of all peoples,
shared resources and responsibilities, all creatures united together as
brothers and sisters, woven together in the love of God. Teilhard de Chardin
had a vision for the Church in an unfinished universe and I encourage Pope
Francis to look to Teilhard’s evolutionary vision for the 21st century, to
make Teilhard de Chardin a Doctor of the Church and to bring the good work he
has begun to the next level of evolution."[Ilia Delio, a member of the
Franciscan Sisters of Washington, D.C., will be the Josephine C. Connelly
Endowed Chair in Theology at Villanova University starting in August, 2015. She
is the author of 16 books and the general editor of the series Catholicity
in an Evolving Universe. Her new book Making All Things New:
Catholicity, Cosmology and Consciousness will be published by Orbis
Books in fall 2015.]

Bridget Mary's Response:

Pope Francis calls for
conversion and interrelatedness, but until the Roman Catholic hierarchy
models inclusivity and treats women as equals, the church will not
reflect the fullness of God's love in creation. The question is will Francis
challenge the elephant in his own living room? Our international women
priests movement is leading the way. We are offering a healing balm to
the wound of sexism in the Roman Catholic Church by living Gospel equality now
in inclusive communities of equals. Amen , Sister Ilia Delio, Pope Francis must practice what he preaches and reform the institutional church. "But the Church must model the very
principles it promotes: mutual relatedness, inclusivity, interdependence,
dignity of all peoples, shared resources and responsibilities, all creatures
united together as brothers and sisters, woven together in the love of
God. "

In the
sixth century, Benedict of Nursia was an aspiring young student at the center of
the empire with all the glitz and glamour, all the fading glory and dimming
power that implied.

Rome had overspent, overreached, and overlooked the
immigrants on the border who were waiting—just waiting—to pour through the
system like a sieve.

Rome—ROME!—the invincible, had been sacked. As in
the book of Daniel, the writing was on the wall, but few, if anyone, read
it.

In our own world, the headlines are in our paper, too, and few, if
any, are reading them.

St. BenedictFeast Day
July 11

But in the sixth century, one
person, this young man, resolved to change the system not by confronting it, not
by competing with it to be bigger, better, or more successful but by eroding its
incredible credibility.

This one single person in the sixth
century—without the money, the technology, the kind of systemic support our age
considers so essential to success and therefore uses to explain its failure to
make a difference—simply refused to become what such a system modeled and came
to have a major influence in our own time.

This one person simply
decided to change people’s opinions about what life had to be by himself living
otherwise, by refusing to accept the moral standards around him, by forming
other people into organized communities to do the same: to outlaw slavery where
they were; to devote themselves to the sharing of goods; to commit themselves to
care for the earth; to teach and model a new perspective on our place in the
universe.

And on his account—though numbers, history attests, were never
his criteria for success—thousands more did the same age after age after
age.

Through it all, for over 1500 years, Benedictine communities—small,
local, and autonomous—worked in creative ways to meet the needs of the areas in
which they grew, struggling always to shape and balance a deep and communal
spiritual life with the great social needs around them.

If the
twenty-first century needs anything at all, it may well be a return to the
life-giving, radical vision of Benedict. Perhaps we need a new reverence for
bold Benedictine wisdom if civilization is to be saved again—and this time the
very planet preserved.

—from The Radical
Christian Life by Joan Chittister (Liturgical Press)

Sunday, July 5, 2015

http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20150524_enciclica-laudato-si.html14. "I urgently appeal, then, for a new dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our planet. We need a conversation which includes everyone, since the environmental challenge we are undergoing, and its human roots, concern and affect us all. The worldwide ecological movement has already made considerable progress and led to the establishment of numerous organizations committed to raising awareness of these challenges. Regrettably, many efforts to seek concrete solutions to the environmental crisis have proved ineffective, not only because of powerful opposition but also because of a more general lack of interest. Obstructionist attitudes, even on the part of believers, can range from denial of the problem to indifference, nonchalant resignation or blind confidence in technical solutions. We require a new and universal solidarity. As the bishops of Southern Africa have stated: “Everyone’s talents and involvement are needed to redress the damage caused by human abuse of God’s creation”. [22] All of us can cooperate as instruments of God for the care of creation, each according to his or her own culture, experience, involvements and talents."

23. The climate is a common good, belonging to all and meant for all. At the global level, it is a complex system linked to many of the essential conditions for human life. A very solid scientific consensus indicates that we are presently witnessing a disturbing warming of the climatic system. In recent decades this warming has been accompanied by a constant rise in the sea level and, it would appear, by an increase of extreme weather events, even if a scientifically determinable cause cannot be assigned to each particular phenomenon. Humanity is called to recognize the need for changes of lifestyle, production and consumption, in order to combat this warming or at least the human causes which produce or aggravate it. It is true that there are other factors (such as volcanic activity, variations in the earth’s orbit and axis, the solar cycle), yet a number of scientific studies indicate that most global warming in recent decades is due to the great concentration of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen oxides and others) released mainly as a result of human activity. Concentrated in the atmosphere, these gases do not allow the warmth of the sun’s rays reflected by the earth to be dispersed in space. The problem is aggravated by a model of development based on the intensive use of fossil fuels, which is at the heart of the worldwide energy system. Another determining factor has been an increase in changed uses of the soil, principally deforestation for agricultural purposes.

24. Warming has effects on the carbon cycle. It creates a vicious circle which aggravates the situation even more, affecting the availability of essential resources like drinking water, energy and agricultural production in warmer regions, and leading to the extinction of part of the planet’s biodiversity. The melting in the polar ice caps and in high altitude plains can lead to the dangerous release of methane gas, while the decomposition of frozen organic material can further increase the emission of carbon dioxide. Things are made worse by the loss of tropical forests which would otherwise help to mitigate climate change. Carbon dioxide pollution increases the acidification of the oceans and compromises the marine food chain. If present trends continue, this century may well witness extraordinary climate change and an unprecedented destruction of ecosystems, with serious consequences for all of us. A rise in the sea level, for example, can create extremely serious situations, if we consider that a quarter of the world’s population lives on the coast or nearby, and that the majority of our megacities are situated in coastal areas.'

Undoubtedly, Francis's encyclical " Laudato Si [Praised Be]: On the Care of Our Common Home" is historic and will have an impact on the global community and its economy. The encyclical's emphasis on how climate change has a direct negative impact on the global poor is laudatory and apparent.

Since the global poor are comprised of primarily women and children ,if Francis is really serious about making significant inroads into eradicating poverty it would behoove him to issue a follow up historic encyclical elevating the status and role of women commencing with taking action in his own Church. He could start by placing women in leadership roles and recognizing their Divine call to Holy Orders and the Episcopate. This would be sign to the rest of the world that women are, according to scripture, equal to men in source divinity and it would be consistent with the Vatican II Documents.

The encyclical should state in clear unequivocal terms that because women are equal children in the eyes of our Creator they can no longer be morally ,culturally, and legally viewed as subservient to men ,nor are they property ,or second class citizens.. Women are to be treated with dignity and respect ,have wage parity with men for the same work they perform and are to be free of practices and laws that are misogynistic, patriarchal, bigoted , discriminatory oppressive and result in all forms of emotional and physical violence. Behavior, actions or laws falling short of those prohibitions would be viewed as grave sins .

It is my belief that such an encyclical would challenge backward cultures, secular and religious institutions and governments to improve the lives of women and reduce the number of poverty stricken peoplein the world. At the minimum it would invite serious global discourse of the scourge of gender inequality and its connection to poverty, misogyny, patriarchal oppression, discrimination and violence, and overtime be a segue for positive social change and justice.

We dedicate esta vigil Jim Forsyth, WHO passed from this life on July 4, 2013, and our vigils and meetings Attended STI since inception. Brother Jim Forsyth, present!

WELCOME - BRANDON SILVIA PEREZ, WIDOW OF FORSYTH

Most of us know the story of a child born in a poor family in a village forgotten in occupied land. A family forced to flee persecution to seek asylum in a neighboring country like many others of "illegal aliens" called; a family living the life of the poor, the anawim. The boy Become a man, speaking on Behalf of the poor and against the excesses of the empire, tortured and murdered as a political criminal. Today we are experiencing the excesses of the empire Perhaps as never before, torturing and killing With new technology, but always with the approval of the state, Which justifies our actions With the seal of the "law." It is time to turn the tables and rid our world of the merchants of greed and death for our witness not constant violent.

• Psalm 121

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills Where Does My Help Come From?

My help cometh from the Lord, Which made ​​heaven and earth .

I invite everyone to briefly introduce Themselves.

• Exodus 2

A man of the house of Levi married a Levite woman. The woman Became pregnant and had a are. She saw how beautiful it was and hid him for three months. When She Could not hide it any longer, she Took a basket made ​​of papyrus plants and covered with tar and pitch. She put the baby in it and it Placed Among the papyrus plants near the river Nile. Pharaoh's daughter opened the basket, looked at the baby and saw he was a child. She was crying, and she felt sorry for him. She said: "This is one of the Hebrew children . "

Today, women and men of other banks are sending children away to save Their Their Lives. They come to Us with security and food cravings and love of foreigners.

1 Kings 8: 41-43

As for the foreigner Who is not of your people Israel, come from a distant land Because of your name (for They Shall hear of your great name and your strong hand and your outstretched arm), and come and pray Toward this house, you You hear in heaven, in your dwelling place, and do all for Which ACCORDING to the foreigner calls to you,

. If a stranger sojourn with you in your land, do not oppress him
as one born Among You That You Shall the stranger dwelleth with you, and You Shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God .
Leviticus 19: 33-34

Anthem: Here I am, Lord

Now let's hear Carolyn Scarr recite His beautiful poem about the immigration interview, more than 2000 years ago That poor family. The text of the poem is on our songs.

Young Iris speaks for July 4:

Thank you all for coming to the eve of the July 4 - the day of the independence of esta nation. The USA. is proud of freedom, liberty and justice for all, but today, we wonder - justice for Whom? Listening to These testimonies, we will Consider Often These narratives have, but are not really Often Heard. I ask That we be Able to hear With our ears, minds and hearts to see the ways in These unjust immigration laws Which Have Affected the people of our community, Because When a body part hurts, we all hurt.

The poem The New Colossus, Emma Lazarus inscribed permanently into the basis of the Statue of Liberty, we remember on This July 4th:

Not like the mythical Greek giant bronze, With conquering astride from land to land members; . Here in our sunset gates it was drenched yerguerá A mighty woman with a torch, Whose flame Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name. Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command The twin cities frame the air-bridged harbor "Beware, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" gritfa her. "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free , The wretched refuse of your teeming shore Send These, the homeless, tempest-tost to me

I lift my lamp beside the golden door! "

Jake shares with us about the movement of pride ("Pride") and LGBTQ people and the detention of migrants, WHO suffer double humiliation for Their positions.

Responsorial reading based on the declaration of the rights of migrants from Annunciation House in El Paso, Texas

L: We are a nation of immigrants. We Gathered from the four corners of the earth.

A:
We come from Mexico and the Philippines, from Central America, Ireland, Ethiopia and Iraq. We come to escape poverty and violence, fear, war, discrimination, political repression and economic hardship .

L: We leave to parents and children, and the heavens of Our Countries. We bring with us languages, pictures, phone numbers, backpacks, stories and hopes.

A:
We walked day and night across the desert to cross the border. We Waited on the other side for the papers to cross. We jumped on trains, seen comrades fall, We have put our trust in coyotes and we Have Been abandoned by smugglers of Human Beings. Have we are what we eat .

L: We Have Been called illegal, wet, foreigners and terrorists. They surround us at work, leaving our homeless children. We are imprisoned and Deported from the cities in Which We have lived for decades.

A:
We are math teachers and dishwashers, carpenters, translators, portrait artists and houses. We pick apples in Yakima, Washington. We wash dishes in restaurants in Minnesota. We rebuild homes in Louisiana to Hurricane Katrina. Taxes paid our salaries .

L: We send our children to school, wanting to learn and succeed and be safe. Nor do we forget the family members That Remain in Our Countries of birth: work hard to keep them as well. In some places, we are invisible. But look for us, Because we are here. We are some twelve million.

R : We bring our work, our children, the rich textures of our cultures, and an opportunity for each of us, That is us and you, learn compassion and wisdom through met the stranger. We Should no longer be strangers .

All are your grandparents and your sons and daughters, Their past and Their future. As brothers and sisters in Christ, we affirm our humanity, dignity and courage. As children of one God, as heirs of the same land, we affirm our rights.

FURTHER READING:

We are a diverse group of people of many faiths, colors, creeds, lands. All sacred books constrain us to welcome the stranger among us.

"[Lord,] When we see you a stranger and Took thee in?" The King will reply, 'I tell you, whatever you did for one of the Least of These my brethren, you did it to me. "

Matthew 25: 38, 40

"Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for by so doing some Have unwittingly entertained angels."

Hebrews 13: 2

" You, my brothers, Were called to freedom; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For all the law in one word is brilliant: You Shall love your neighbor as yourself

Galatians 5: 13-14

"... You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but fellow Citizens With the saints and members of God's family."

Ephesians 2: 11-21

"And Those Who Have dignity and comfort Among You not swear not to give to relatives and the needy and Refugees in the cause of God. That forgive and show indulgence . "

The Surat an-Nur Noble Quran 24:22

"And do good to your parents and close relatives, and the orphans and the needy, and the neighbor from Among your own people, and the neighbor Who is a stranger, and the friend by your side, and the wayfarer, and Those Who legitimately POSSESS. Verily, Allah does not like any of Those Who, full of vanity, acts in a boastful way ... "

Quran An-Nisa 4:36

"Those Who Believed, and ADOPTED exile, and Fought for the Faith, With Their property and Their persons, in the cause of Allah and Those Who gave them asylum and help are all friends and protectors, one of another."

Al Anfal Koran 8:72

Prayers from abroad to abroad abroad (the Tikkun Community)

Oh God, remind us That we are part of a whole or part of the land of our ancestors and your future, Have We both borders or we do not, we are national and transnational, injured and uninjured. Let us be Citizens of a world Where love and respect are just borders. Amen.

Please the Spirit and the forces That created the world. No matter if our tradition Began With The God of Abraham, Isaac and Sarah, or of Ishmael and Hagar, or immigrants to the manger or manifestation as deep as the longing of the heart to Understand, still, hear our prayer for the displaced and out of place. We are Both hosts and guests, strangers and friends, in a shrinking world That Has Its source in you. Unite us in the arts of hospitality and mutual understanding. Amen.

Continue walking through the kindness of strangers, and help us make sure we know Who is whos abroad. Teach us to think globally from the safety of our own backyard - so we can learn to be truly safe. Amen

Prayer for our immigrant brothers and sisters, of Pax Christi

Blessed are You, Lord Jesus Christ.

Crossed all borders

Between divinity and humanity

to make your home with us.

Help us in welcoming newcomers,

Migrants and Refugees.

Blessed are You, God of all nations.

Bless our rich land

With the goods of creation

And Those made in your image.

Help us to be good stewards and builders of peace,

live as your children.

Blessed are You, Holy Spirit.

Work in the hearts of all

to Achieve harmony and goodwill.

Strengthen us to welcome them to the

other lands, cultures, religions,

so we can live in human solidarity

and hope.

God of all men, grant us the vision

to see your presence among us,

Especially in our migrant brothers and sisters.

Give us courage to open the door to our neighbors

and grace to build a society of justice.

Song: Peace and freedom

• Testimony of anyone Who wants to share experiences of immigration detention

• The prayers of the people to be answered by: Lord, hear our prayer

• Noise

Closing Hymn: Amazing Grace

This vigil was presented by the Ecumenical Institute for Peace and the South Hayward Parish, with the help of our musicians, Patti Connors, Joseph Daniel Pinell, Zwiekel Daniel ben Avram and I, and the collaboration of interns EBASE / FAME, David Iris and
Jake . Thanks to All Who Attended!